caterwaul

[ kat-er-wawl ]

verb (used without object)

1. to utter long wailing cries, as cats in rutting time.
2. to utter a similar sound; howl or screech.

   Synonyms: yowl, squawk, shriek, wail

3. to quarrel like cats.

noun

1. the cry of a cat in rutting time.
2. any similar sound.

caterwaul

/ ˈkætəˌwɔːl /

verb

1. to make a yowling noise, as a cat on heat

noun

1. a shriek or yell made by or sounding like a cat on heat

Derived Forms

• ˈcaterˌwauler, noun

Other Words From

• cater·wauler noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of caterwaul¹

1350–1400; Middle English cater ( wawen ) (equivalent to cater tomcat (< Middle Dutch ) + wawen to howl, Old English wāwan to blow, said of the wind) + waul, variant of wail

Word History and Origins

Origin of caterwaul¹

C14: of imitative origin

Example Sentences

They’d go to theaters and laugh at the clandestine caterwaul.

From Washington Post

And so it happens that the people who caterwaul about America being weak in the world become the very people who make it weaker.

From The Daily Beast

He acts as if he was at the p'int o' death, though folks a-dyin' don't gen'ally caterwaul like that.

From Project Gutenberg

It was terrific how hard it was for one of a wildcat heritage and habit to keep the caterwaul back and the claws muffled.

From Project Gutenberg

From the cat there rose suddenly a hideous caterwaul, that ceased abruptly; and then—too late—I snapped off the flashlight.

From Project Gutenberg

At once she began to meouw and caterwaul with all her might.

From Project Gutenberg

It reached the edge of the pool, spread out all its legs with a caterwaul of despair, and went headlong into the water.

From Project Gutenberg